Trump Demands Return of Federal Dollars Spent on Bullet Train
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) – Adding to the long list of obstacles blocking California’s bullet train designs, the Trump administration announced Tuesday it was nixing $929 million in federal funding for a project meant to connect the state’s largest cities by high-speed rail.
The Federal Railroad Administration said it was not only terminating the federal grant, but “actively exploring” ways to recoup $2.5 billion in federal spending already dedicated to the voter-approved bullet train, setting up another likely legal battle between the federal government and the Golden State.
In a letter sent to state officials, the administration says California won’t meet a 2022 project deadline and accused Gov. Gavin Newsom of making “fundamental” changes to the project that is supposed to eventually carry riders from San Francisco to Los Angeles in less than three hours.
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